It has probably been the greatest misfortune of humanity that whosoever found an opportunity to come to power, by force of arms or by intrigue, by democratic means or by accident, presumed that he was also a teacher a reformer. When such teachers and reformers gain power, they appropriate all wisdom to themselves. They regard themselves as the greatest thinkers. Discarding all sources of knowledge and dismissing the wisest and most sensible elements of society wantonly, they embark on things that prove disastrous at every turn.
They want to mold humanity through violence and reform life by using the rod. Often these sponsors of reform and revolution are quite ignorant of human nature and do not possess even elementary knowledge about it. They have never given thought to the subject of the correct methods of reforming life or to the causes of degeneration and how best to remove them. Without learning from the experience of the past, they start experiments of their own. In order to remove all obstacles in their ventures, they reject all advice or criticism. They have only one remedy for every evil, and that is wholesale violence. They enact oppressive laws, subjecting people to unmitigated tyranny.
The revolution brought about by Rasulullahﷺ, on the other hand, had no element of violence in it, but a spirit of affection and concern for human welfare marked every step. Rasulullahﷺt was most merciful to humanity and had a real love for all mankind. Rasulullahﷺ explained the nature of his mission by the example that he was saving them from falling into the abyss towards which they were madly rushing.
Hence, the Qur'an described him as the Apostle of Mercy. Just imagine how he accomplished such a great revolution without a single instance of his having resorted to undue force. The decade of Rasulullahﷺ's life at Madinah was a period of continuous emergency. Three large-scale attacks were made by the Quraish while Rasulullahﷺ had full trust in the righteousness of his mission and the excellence of his character. Rasulullahﷺ never imposed his superiority over others.
Rasulullahﷺ never indulged in extravagant talk nor insulted anyone but patiently bore the affront of enemies, who, in fact, were weaker. It was this attitude that won the hearts of his enemies, while his followers were loyal to him with all their souls. His opponents appeared meek and inferior before him and when they bow end their heads before truth and nobility, they were completely transformed.
The love of Allahﷻ that Rasulullahﷺ bore in his heart manifested itself in another form: he loved Allahﷻ's creation with the same intensity. Illustration of his love for humanity can be had from the fact that for the very people of Makkah who opposed him with all their might, Rasulullahﷺ sent a supply of food when they were afflicted with famine and also five hundred gold coins for the relief of the poor. One night when the wailings of the prisoners of Badr reached his ears, he was so upset that he could not sleep till the ropes which bound them were loosened.
Then by his order, six thousand prisoners of Banu Hawazin were freed on their appeal. The greatest demonstration of his love for humanity was at the time of his triumphant entry into Makkah. When those who had fought against him for 20 years came to him defeated, he pardoned them all. Small clashes and frontier attacks were quite frequent. Different tribes attacked Madinah at different times from different places. Patrol parties were regularly sent from Madinah and military expeditions were undertaken to deal with disturbing elements while guards had to be kept ready at night. In addition to this, there were constant conspiracies by the Jews and the hypocrites. In short, it was the life of a military camp.
There were intrigues for disrupting Muslim society, creating dissension, defeating Rasulullahﷺ's mission, and even killing Rasulullahﷺ. Could there be any greater emergency? But Rasulullahﷺ never assumed dictatorial powers, nor promulgated despotic laws. No one was ever imprisoned or punished by emergency powers. No fines or punitive taxes were imposed and no citizen was taxed beyond the impositions ordained by the Divine law. The right of opposition and criticism was never taken away nor was anyone silenced or confined. Even the most mischievous person, Abdullah bin Ubay, was left unhindered.
for their crimes and excesses, and Rasulullahﷺ declared: 'There is no punishment for you today. You are all free!" to win their hearts, he showered wealth on them, and instead of humiliating them, he gave them responsible work. Rasulullahﷺ knew the revolution which degrades itself by taking revenge digs its own grave while the revolution which forgives and pacifies wins the hearts of even enemies and gains the support of those who had opposed it.
The Quraish forced Rasulullahﷺ into war and once on the battlefield, Rasulullahﷺ fought with courage and determination but his military and defensive policies were such that they did the least harm to the enemy; he took every possible care that even during war respect for humanity was maintained. No other revolution can present such outstanding and generous examples of love for humanity. His revolution was purely educative, and based on goodwill towards all mankind.
A conqueror on such an occasion would have ordered a general massacre or perennial imprisonment as the people of Makkah were legally and morally guilty and deserved to be punished, but because of Rasulullahﷺ's love for humanity, they were generously forgiven for their crimes and excesses, and Rasulullahﷺ declared: 'There is no punishment for you today. You are all free!" to win their hearts, he showered wealth on them instead of punishing them.
of life. the most striking achievement of Rasulullahﷺ was that man was changed from within and completely transformed. The self-seeking animal which existed in the shape of a man was totally effaced by the power of truth and in his place emerged an Allahﷻ-fearing and principled man. If you look at the mesmeric spell of this man you will be wonder-struck.
A young drunkard of Makkah like Umar Al Khattab رضياللهعنه was transformed and to what great heights he rose! Fuzala was elevated and to what greatness! Look to Zul Bajadain رضياللهعنه, how he spurned wealth and comforts and took to a life of simplicity! Look at Abu Zarr رضياللهعنه and his revolutionary spirit th
It was the 13th year of the Islamic calendar (622 A.D.)
During the Hajj season of this year, Mus’ab bin Umayr رضي الله عنه came to Makkah with 75 people, two of them women, of the Aws and Khazraj tribes. This group went to our Holy Rasulullahﷺ who was sitting at the Kaabah with his uncle Abbas, and made the following offer:
O! Rasulullahﷺ! We are a rather big group. We agree to take you amongst us, to help you, to sacrifice ourselves for your sake, and to protect your inner-being as we do your physical being. Where should we meet with you to further discuss this matter?”
Our Holy Rasulullahﷺ again deemed it suitable to meet at Aqaba.
This meeting was to be held at night and no one else was to know. In fact, in order not to attract any attention, they would leave their encampment in very small groups to go to Aqaba. As instructed, the Muslims from Medina gathered in the valley near Aqaba at nighttime without attracting anyone’s attention and without letting anyone else know.
Our Holy Rasulullahﷺ came with his uncle Abbas Ibn Abd Muthalib who had not become a Muslim yet. Abbas Ibn Abd Muthalib's purpose was to not leave his nephew alone in this important matter and to hear the given promises himself.
At first, Abbas Ibn Abd Muthalib began to speak. He made a speech saying that if the Muslims of Madinah were confident they could protect our Holy Rasulullahﷺ that they should proceed and if they were not confident then they had to abandon this plan at once. However, the Muslims of Madinah wanted our Holy Rasulullahﷺ to speak: They said, “O Messenger of God! You talk, too! Obtain the promise that you want for you and for your Lord from us.”
At that moment As’ad bin Zurarah رضياللهعنه, the leader of the Muslims of Madinah, received permission from our Holy Rasulullahﷺ to speak and said, “O God’s Apostle, every invitation has a way. That way can be either be or difficult! The invitation you make is a difficult one for the people of today to accept. You invited us to your religion and to abandon the religion we used to follow. This was a very difficult task. Despite this, we accepted your invitation. We were a community that protected our homeland with honor and against all kinds of invasion; nobody could dare to dominate us except us let alone a person who abandoned his tribe and whose uncles wanted to surrender him to his enemies.
Although this was very difficult, we accepted your offer on this path! However, unless God bestows the resolve to discover the true path and the hope to reach beneficence, then none of this will appeal to the people. However, we accepted this by avowing with our tongues, testifying with our hearts, and reaching out our hands. We testify to you by knowing and believing all that you bring from God. We testify to our Lord and your Lord. God’s powerful hands are upon our own hands. Our blood is with your blood, our hands are you with your hands. We will protect you as we protect ourselves, our children, and our wives. If we break our promise, then let us be grief-stricken people who have broken God’s promise.”
As’ad bin Zurarah رضياللهعنه completed the final portion of his speech:
“O God’s Apostle! Take whatever promise from us that you desire for yourself and for the sake of God.”
Our Holy Rasulullahﷺ first recited some verses from the Holy Quran. Afterward, he listed the conditions he wanted for himself and His Lord’s sake:
My request for the sake of God, the Exalted, is that you;
“Worship Him without associating any partners to Him, you perform your salah (daily prayers) and pray your zakat (alms.)
“As for myself;
“Testify that I am God’s Messenger and protect me as you would yourselves, your children, and your wives.” (9)
This time Abdullah bin Rawahah received permission to speak; he said, “O God’s Apostle! If we fulfill what you say, then what is in it for us?”
Our Holy Rasulullahﷺ replied, “Paradise.”
Happiness brightly shone in their eyes as they all testified and said, “In that case, this is a rewarding and beneficial exchange.”
Afterward, they asked our Holy Rasulullahﷺ, “How should we pledge our allegiance to you?”
Our Holy Rasulullahﷺ answered, “You must promise me that you will testify to there being no god but Allah and that He sent me as His Apostle, to pray your solah (daily prayers), to pay your zakat (alms,) to obey me in times of joy and sorrow, to completely submit to my commands, to help me in every way, and when I go there, to protect me from the same things from which you would protect yourselves, wives, and children!”
Twelve Representatives
Upon this, our Holy Rasulullahﷺ declared, “Choose 12 individuals from among yourselves who will stand by me in every matter as the representatives of their tribes. Moses also had 12 representatives from the Sons of Israel.”
The Muslims of Madina chose nine representatives from the Khazraj tribe and three from the Aws.
The chosen individuals from the Khazraj were as follows:
1) Abu Umama As'ad bin Zurara,
2) Sa'd bin Rabi',
3) Rafi' bin Malik,
4) Abdullah bin Rawaha,
5) Abdullah bin Amr,
6) Bara' bin Ma'rur,
7) Sa'd bin Ubada,
8) Ubada bin Sâmit, 9) Mundhir bin Amr.
The representatives chosen for the Aws were:
1) Usaid bin Khudayr,
2) Sa'd bin Haythama,
3) Abu'l-Haytham Malik bin Tayyihan.
All of these representatives were the leading figures of Madinah, esteemed individuals, and literate scholars.
Our Holy Rasulullahﷺ said to these representatives, “Just as the disciples vouched for Isa (Jesus,) Son of Mary, against their tribes, you too are the disciples of yourselves. And I am the disciple of the immigrants from Makkah.”
They confirmed by saying, “Yes.”
Furthermore, after the 12 representatives were chosen, our Holy Rasulullahﷺ appointed As’ad bin Zurarah as the head of the 12 representatives.
These representatives spoke to the groups they represented, explained the importance of the allegiance, and prepared their respective groups to also pledge their allegiance to our Holy Rasulullahﷺ.
Afterward, our Holy Rasulullahﷺ extended his holy hand. The Muslims of Madinah all pledged their allegiance one by one. Only the two women did not give their hands but he accepted them as having pledged.
In a sense, this allegiance was an alliance made between the Muslims of Madinah and Makkah.
The Polytheists Sense Things!
The Allegiance took place in the darkness of the night in a secluded place that nobody other than those invited could see.
Despite this, as soon as the allegiance was complete, they all heard a sound: “O Quraysh! Muhammad and the Madinans who have left the religion of their fathers, have gathered and agreed to wage war on you!”
Where could this voice that tore the silence of the night be coming from? Concern and worry overcame everyone.
This voice resembled the voice of Munabbih bin Hajjaj. Our Holy Rasulullahﷺ commanded: “Immediately return to your camps!”
At that time, Abbas bin Ubada said, “O God’s Apostle, if you would like, as soon as morning comes, we can sharpen our swords, tread upon the community of Mina, and slay them.”
However, our Holy Rasulullahﷺ was commanded to use his sword of patience, he declared,
“No, no. We are not yet commanded to act in this way. Everyone, return to your spots.”
Upon this, the Muslims of Madinah returned to their camps.
When the morning came, the polytheists began to investigate this incident whose purpose was yet unknown to them. At first, they asked the polytheists of Madinah. However, they swore they were uninformed of this matter, “Such a thing did not happen. We do not know of such a thing.”
The Muslims of Madinah thought silence was the best way, and for that reason, they did not say one word.
This time, the polytheists went to Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul and asked him. He said, “That is a grand work. Such a thing must not have happened. These must be empty words. The tribe did not consult with me. When I was in Yathrib they did not do anything without first consulting with me.”
The polytheists then determined that the polytheists of Madinah knew nothing about this matter.
If our Holy Rasulullahﷺ had not said, “Do not let anyone else know about this incident” and if the Muslims of Madinah had not concealed this matter from their polytheist compatriots, then, of course, this matter would have been heard by the polytheists of Makkah and great trouble would have befallen upon the Muslims.
When the Season of Hajj came to a close, the Muslims of Madinah set off to return to their homeland.
A short time after the Muslims of Madinah had left, the polytheists learned what had happened. They immediately planned to keep a close watch on the Muslims from Madinan. However, it had been a long time since they had left; thus, they were only able to capture two people: Sa’d bin Ubada and Mundhir bin Amr. These two individuals had somehow stayed behind when the caravan set off. Much later, Mundhir was able to find a way and escape from their hands. The polytheists only brought Sa’d bin Ubada to Makkah. They took their anger and resentment out on him by torturing and subjecting him to all kinds of cruelty. At last, Hazrat Sa’d bin Ubada was released from this torture when he received the protection of two polytheists he had known from long before and who had been his guests in Madinah.
Madinah Muslims who returned to their homeland were looking forward to welcoming muhajirins and Rasulullahﷺ!
We have already spoken about six Madinese who embraced Islam in the pilgrimage season in the eleventh year of Prophethood. They promised to communicate the Message of Islam to their townsfolk. The following year, on the occasion of the pilgrimage, there came a group of twelve disciples ready to acknowledge Muhammad as their Prophet. The group of men comprised five of the six who had met Rasulullahﷺ the year before, the sixth who stayed away was Jabir bin ‘Abdullah bin Reyab, and the other seven were:
They avowed their faith in Rasulullahﷺ as a Prophet and swore: “We will not worship anyone but one Allah; we will not steal; neither will we commit adultery, nor kill our children; we will not utter slander, intentionally forging falsehood and we will not disobey you in any just matter.” When they had taken the pledge, Rasulullahﷺ said: “He who carries it out, Allâh will reward him; and who neglects anything and is afflicted in this world, it may prove redemption for him in the Hereafter; and if the sin remains hidden from the eyes of the men and no grief comes to him, then his affair is with Allâh. He may forgive him or He may not.”
THE MUSLIM ENVOY IN MADINAH
After the Pledge (in the form of an oath had been taken) Rasulullahﷺ sent to Yathrib (Madinah) Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair Al-‘Abdari, رضي الله عنه the first Muslim ‘ambassador’ to teach the people there the doctrines of Islam, give them practical guidance and make attempts at propagating the Islam among those who still professed polytheism.
As‘ad bin Zurarahرضي الله عنه hosted him in Madinah. So prepared was the ground, and so zealous the propagation that Islam spread rapidly from house to house and from tribe to tribe. There were various cheerful and promising aspects of success that characterized Mus‘ab’s task. One day Mus‘ab رضي الله عنه and As‘ad رضي الله عنه were on their way to the habitations of Bani ‘Abd Al-Ashhal and Bani Zafar, when they went into the premises of the latter clan. There they sat near a well conversing with some new converts. Sa‘d bin Mu‘adh and Usaid bin Hudair, chiefs of the two clans heard of this meeting, so Usaid approached the Muslims armed with his lance while the other Sa‘d excused himself on grounds that As‘ad رضي الله عنه was his maternal cousin.
Usaid came closer cursing and swearing and accused the two men of befooling people weak of heart, and ordered that they stop it altogether. Mus‘ab رضي الله عنه calmly invited him to sit saying, “If you are pleased with our talk, you can accept it; should you hold it in abhorrence, you could freely immunize yourself against what you hate.” “That’s fair,” said Usaid, pierced his lance in the sand, listened to Mus‘ab رضي الله عنه, and then heard some verses of the Noble Qur’ân. His face bespoke satisfaction and pleasure before uttering any words of approval. He asked the two men about the procedures pertinent to embracing Islam.
They asked him to observe washing, purge his garment, bear witness to the Truth and then perform two Rak‘a. He responded and did exactly what he was asked to do, and then said there was a man (Sa‘d bin Mu‘adhرضي الله عنه ) whose people would never hang back if he followed Islam. He then left to see Sa‘d and his people. Sa‘d رضي الله عنه immediately understand that Usaid had changed. To a question posed by Sa‘d رضي الله عنه, Usaid said that two men were ready to comply with whatever orders they received. He then managed a certain situation that provided the two men with a chance to talk with Sa‘d رضي الله عنه privately.
The previous scene with Usaid recurred and Sa‘d رضي الله عنه embraced Islam, and directly turned to his people swearing that he would never talk with them until they had believed in Allâh, and in His Messenger. Hardly did the evening of that day arrive when all the men and women of that sept of Arabians embraced Islam with the exception of one, Al-Usairim, who hung back until the Day of Uhud. On that day he embraced Islam and fought the polytheists but was eventually killed before observing any prostration in the way of prayer. Rasulullahﷺ commented saying: “He has done a little but his reward is great.”
Mus‘ab stayed in Madinah carrying out his mission diligently and successfully until all the houses of Al-Ansar (the future Helpers) had Muslim elements, men and women. One family only stood obdurate to the Islamic Da‘wah (Call). They were under the influence of the poet Qais bin Al-Aslat, who managed to hold them at bay and screen off the Call of Islam from their ears until the year 5 A.H. Shortly before the approach of the following pilgrimage season, i.e. the thirteenth year of Prophethood, Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair رض الله عنه returned to Makkah carrying to Rasulullahﷺ glad tidings about the new fertile soil of Islam in Madinah, and its environment rich in the prospects of good, and the power and immunity that that city was bound to provide to the cause of Islam.
At the end of the eleventh year of Nubuwwat, the forty-year
war between the tribes of Aus and Khazraj of Madinah (Yathrib), had virtually
ended and many tribes converged on Makkah for the pilgrimage, annually.
Rasulullahﷺ used
these opportune moments to go out of Makkah and into the camps of the visiting
tribes to preach Islam, Abu Jahl and Abu Lahab continued their wicked campaign
to defeat every effort of Rasulullahﷺ.
But Rasulullahﷺavoided
them and always slipped out in the dark towards the camps of the pilgrims.
It was here that the first six persons of the Khazraj tribe
became Muslims at the
valley of Aqaba and, the place which, later became the
secret gathering place of
Rasulullahﷺ and
the prospective Muslims of Madinah (Yathrib).
The following year twelve more people of the Khazraj tribe
became Muslims and
the First Pledge of Aqaba was taken.
They pledged that:
1. We
will not worship anyone but Allah.
2. We
will not steal or commit adultery.
3. We
will not kill our little girls.
4. We
will not defame anyone.
5. We will not backbite anyone.
6. In our every deed, we will honor and submit to the word of Rasulullahﷺ.
Rasulullahﷺ was
requested to send one of his own companions to preach Islam in
Madinah. Mus'ab-
bin -Umayr رضي الله عنه was debuted for this purpose. Islam took root in Madinah and
spread rapidly. Madinah was originally known as 'Yathrib' after an idol, but,
after the arrival of Rasulullahﷺ,
it was called ' Madinatun-Nabee', the city of the Nabee (Prophet).
[1] Ibn Hisham, ibid, V. 2, p. 75-76; Tabari, Tarikh, V. 2, p. 235.
[2] Ibn Hisham, ibid, V. 2, p. 75-76; Ibn Sa’d, ibid, V. 2, p. 220; Tabari, ibid, V. 2, p. 235.
[3] Doç. Dr. Sâlih Tuğ, İslam Vergi Hukukunun Ortaya Çıkışı, p. 27 (Ank. 1963).
[4] Ibn Hisham, ibid, V. 2, p. 73; Ibn Sa’d, ibid, V. 1, p. 220.
[5] Ibn Hisham, ibid, V. 2, p. 76; Ibn Sa’d, ibid, V. 1, p. 220.
[6] Ibn Hisham, Sirah, V. 2, p. 77-78; Ibn Sa’d, Tabaqat, V. 3, p. 420; Tabari, Tarikh, V. 2, p. 236.
[7] Ibn Hisham, ibid, V. 2, p. 78-79; Ibn Sa’d, ibid, V. 3, p. 420; Tabari, ibid, V. 2, p. 236-237; Ibn Sayyid, Uyunu’l-Athar, V. 1, p. 160; Halabi, Insanu’l-Uyun, V. 2, p. 170-171.
[8] Ibn Hisham, Sirah, V. 2, p. 83-84; Ibn Sa’d, Tabaqat, V. 1, p. 221; Tabari, Tarikh, V. 2, p. 228.
[9] Ibn Hisham, Sirah, V. 2, p. 84; Ibn Sa’d, Tabaqat, V. 1, p. 222; Tabari, ibid, V. 2, p. 238; Ibn Sayyid, Uyunu’l-Athar, V. 1, p. 163; Halabi, Insanu’l-Uyun, V. 2, p. 174-175.
[10] Tabari, Tarikh, V. 2, p. 239; Halabi, ibid, V. 2, p. 175.
[11] Ibn Hisham, ibid, V. 2, p. 97; Halabi, ibid, V. 2, p. 175.
[12] Ibn Hisham, ibid, V. 2, p. 85; Ibn Sa’d, ibid, V. 1, p. 222; Tabari, Tarikh, V. 2, p. 239; Ibn Sayyid, Uyunu’l-Athar, V. 1, p. 164; Halabi, Insanu’l-Uyun, V. 2, p. 176-177.
[13] Ibn Hisham, ibid, V. 2, p. 86-87; Ibn Sayyid, ibid, V. 1, p. 164.
[14] Ibn Hisham, ibid, V. 2, p. 88; Ibn Sa’d, ibid, V. 1, p. 223.
[15] Ibn Hisham, ibid, V. 2, p. 90; Ibn Sa’d, Tabaqat, V. 1, p. 223.
This section of the Sirah will deal with how the Prophet brought
about positive change in the world. Important Events in The Life of
Prophet Muhammad SAW.
He was able to bring about a new mindset, freed from the rote, blind following of ancestral traditions. He made the people aware of the falsehood of their former customs, so this awareness could protect them from lapsing back into such modes of thought.
This way, Rasulullahﷺ brought them out of the darkness of superstition, fortune-telling, and divination. He dispelled their wantonness and sexual exploitation.
Rasulullahﷺ did away with their tribal boasting and rivalries. Rasulullahﷺ rid their hearts of racism. When his own companion Abu Dharr ra betrayed racist tendencies, Rasulullahﷺ did not hesitate to tell him: “You are indeed a man possessed of some habits from the times of ignorance.”
Rasulullahﷺ never compromised on polytheism. Rasulullahﷺ opposed it absolutely, regardless of the sacrifices and hardships this meant for him. He strove to dismantle polytheism in the minds and hearts of the people and bring them to monotheism. Nevertheless, when he went to Makkah after the Treaty of Hudaibiyah to perform the Umrah, there were 360 idols around the Kaaba. He did not destroy the idols or interfere with them in any way. What would have been the point? It was easy for people to recreate their idols as long as they believed in them. The only possible way was to dismantle them from people’s hearts and minds first.
PRELUDE OF MUHAMMAD’S, RASULULLAH ﷺ
THE GREATEST BENEFACTORS.
"Forbidden to you (for food) are: dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which hath been invoked the name of other than Allah. that which hath been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by being gored to death; that which hath been (partly) eaten by a wild animal; unless ye are able to slaughter it (in due form); that which is sacrificed on stone (altars); (forbidden) also is the division (of meat) by raffling with arrows: that is impiety. This day has those who reject faith given up all hope of your religion: yet fear them not but fear Me. This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. But if any is forced by hunger, with no inclination to transgression, Allah is indeed Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful."
The Quran (Al Maidah : Ayat 3)
6thcentury Arabia the world witnessed perhaps the greatest and most profound change in history that happened
but peacefully. Nevertheless, it was (Muhammad) Rasulullahﷺ truly decisive. (Muhammad)Rasulullahﷺ changed the people’s beliefs, behavior, customs, and social norms, and he did so by convincing them with kindness and gentle
persuasion.
He did not force people to agree with him. He did not resort to a
show of strength except when absolutely necessary to protect his people.
For the first 13 years of his mission, (Muhammad)Rasulullahﷺ lived in Makkah in a state of abject
weakness, persecuted by his countrymen.
Before Muhammad’s
Prophethood, darkness lay heavier and thicker on one land than on any other.
The neighboring countries of Persia, Byzantium, and Egypt possessed a glimmer
of civilization and a faint light of learning, but the Arab peninsula, isolated
and cut off by vast oceans of sand, was culturally and intellectually one of
the world’s backward areas. Although their highly developed language could
express the finest shades of meaning, a study of their literature’s remnants
reveals the limited extent of their knowledge. All of this shows their low
cultural and civilizational standards, their deeply superstitious nature, their
barbarous and ferocious customs, and their uncouth and degraded moral standards
and conceptions.
It was a land without a
government, for every tribe claimed sovereignty and considered itself
independent. Robbery, arson, and the murder of innocent and weak people were the
norm. Life, property, and honor were constantly at risk, and tribes were always
at daggers drawn with each other. A trivial incident could engulf them in
ferocious warfare, which sometimes developed into a decades-long and
country-wide conflagration. As one scholar writes:
These struggles destroyed
the sense of national unity and developed an incurable particularism; each
tribe deemed itself self-sufficient and regarded the rest as its legitimate
victims for murder, robbery, and plunder.
Barely able to discriminate
between pure and impure, lawful and unlawful, their concepts of morals,
culture, and civilization were primitive and uncouth. They reveled in adultery,
gambling, and drinking. They stood naked before each other without shame, and
women circumambulated the Kaaba in the nude.
Their prestige called for
female infanticide rather than having someone “inferior” become their
son-in-law and eventual heir. They married their widowed stepmothers and knew
nothing of the manners associated with eating, dressing, and cleanliness.
Worshippers of stones, trees, idols, stars, and spirits, they had forgotten the
earlier Prophets’ teachings. They had an idea that Abraham and Isma‘il were
their forefathers, but almost all of these forefathers’ religious knowledge and
understanding of God had been lost.
Thus, in that benighted
area, for forty years, Rasulullahﷺ, lived as an
ordinary man among his people. He was not known as a statesman, preacher, or
orator. No one had heard him impart wisdom and knowledge, or discuss principles
of metaphysics, ethics, law, politics, economy, or sociology. He had no reputation
as a soldier, not to mention as a great general. He had said nothing about God,
angels, revealed Books, early Prophets, bygone nations, the Day of Judgment,
life after death, or Heaven and Hell. No doubt he had an excellent character
and charming manners and was well-behaved, yet nothing marked him out as one
who would accomplish something great and revolutionary. His acquaintances knew
him as a sober, calm, gentle, and trustworthy citizen of good nature. But when Rasulullahﷺ left the Hira cave with a new message, he was completely transformed.
When Rasulullahﷺ began preaching, his
people stood in awe and wonder, bedazzled by his wonderful eloquence and
oratory. It was so impressive and captivating that even his worst enemies were
afraid to listen to it, lest it penetrates their hearts or very being and make
them abandon their traditional religion and culture. It was so beyond comparison
that no Arab poet, preacher, or orator, no matter how good, could equal its
beautiful language and splendid diction when he challenged them to do so.
Although they put their heads together, they could not produce even one line
like the ones he recited.
Just as the Prophets’
consensus on the other pillars of belief is a very strong proof of their truth,
it also is a firm testimony of the truthfulness and Messengership of Muhammad Rasulullahﷺ. History confirms that all sacred attributes,
miracles, and functions indicating the truthfulness and Messengership of
Prophets, are found in Muhammad Rasulullahﷺ, upon him be peace and blessings, to the
highest degree. Prophets predicted his coming by giving good tidings of him in
the Torah, the Gospels, the Psalms, and other Scriptures (known as “Pages” in
the Qur’an). Through their missions and miracles, they affirmed and “sealed”
the mission of Rasulullahﷺ, the foremost and most perfect Prophet.
People usually consider
their own occupations as more important, necessary, beneficial to social life,
and more challenging than others. However, although every occupation has some
degree of difficulty and social use, educating people is by far the most
difficult and necessary for a healthy social life.
Raising really educated
people requires true educators who have clear goals. But if such people are to succeed, they must embody what they teach and advise their students; they must
intimately know their students’ character and potential, as well as their
desires and ambitions, shortcomings and strengths, and level of learning and
understanding; they must know how to treat them in all circumstances, approach
their problems, and persuade them to replace their bad qualities with good
ones.
People may not live
according to their asserted “strong” beliefs, have only superficial good moral
qualities, or have weak spots (e.g., open to bribery, insensitivity, hoarding).
How should we view educators who transform their students by completely
replacing their bad qualities with good ones, and then proceed to establish a
community to serve as a model for future generations; who transform the base
rock, copper, iron, and coal in their hands into silver, gold, precious stones,
and diamonds? Would such an educator not be considered extraordinary? What Rasulullahﷺ, achieved in his twenty-three
years as the educator of his people is far more than what such educators do.
Not using force is another
important dimension of a good education. Penal sanctions, coercion, and
military and police forces can only succeed in “guiding” people for a short
while. If a transformation is to be permanent, people must undertake it
willingly, meaning that they must be convinced of its truth. No one has ever
known people so comprehensively as Rasulullahﷺ, nor has managed to
transform such pitiless, crude, war-mongering, ignorant, and unyielding people
into a community that provides a perfect and complete life and moral example
for all future generations.
His Family and Companions,
whose insight, wisdom, and spiritual accomplishment make them the most
renowned, respected, celebrated, pious, and intelligent people after the Rasulullahﷺ, declared that he was the most truthful, elevated, and honest person.
This was their conclusion after having examined and scrutinized all of his
thoughts and states, whether hidden or open, with the utmost attention to detail.
Thousands of Allahﷻ’s beloved
friends attained truth and perfection, performed wonders, gained insight into
the reality of things, and made spiritual discoveries by following Rasulullahﷺ’s example. All of them assert Rasulullahﷺ’s truthfulness and Messengership,
and his Message. Thousands of exacting scholars of purity, meticulous scholars
of truthfulness, and believing sages have reached the highest station of
learning through the sacred truths brought by this unlettered man. Many
invincible commanders and the most eminent statesmen of human history have appeared
in his footsteps.
I list only a few of countless such people: such saints and
purified, meticulous scholars as Abu Hanifa, Shafi‘i, Imam Malik, Ahmad ibn
Hanbal, Imam al-Bukhari, Imam Muslim, Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, Jalaluddin
as-Suyuti, Bayazid al-Bistami, ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, Shah Naqshband, Hasan
al-Shadhili, Imam al-Ghazzali, Imam Rabbani, and Bediüzzaman Said Nursi;
innumerable scientists such as al-Biruni, az-Zahrawi, Ibn Sina (Avicenna), and
Ibn Haytham; and hundreds of thousands of literary geniuses, commanders,
statesmen, and other stars of humanity. All of them followed in Rasulullahﷺ’s
footsteps.
The first peculiarity, then,
which attracts our attention is the subdivision of the Arabs into innumerable
bodies … each independent of the others: restless and often at war amongst
themselves; and even when united by blood or by interest, ever ready on some
significant cause to separate and give way to an implacable hostility. Thus in
the era of Islam, the retrospect of Arabian history exhibits, as in the
kaleidoscope, an ever-varying state of combination and repulsion, such as had
hitherto rendered abortive any attempt at a general union … The problem had yet
to be solved, by what force these tribes could be subdued or drawn to one
common center; and it was solved by Muhammad Rasulullahﷺ.
Rasulullahﷺ blended many roles and his own personal excellences
into one personality. Rasulullahﷺ is a man of wisdom and foresight, a living embodiment
of his own teachings, a great statesman and military genius, a legislator and
teacher of morals, a spiritual luminary and religious guide. He sees life
comprehensively, and all that he touches is improved and adorned. His teachings
regulate everything from international relations to eating, drinking, sleeping,
and personal hygiene. He used these teachings to establish a civilization and a
culture that produced such a fine, sensitive, and perfect equilibrium in all
aspects of life that no trace of a flaw, deficiency, or incompleteness has ever
been found in it. What alleged shortcomings and imperfections deny him his
rightful status as Prophet and Messenger of Allahﷻ?
Rasulullahﷺ, brought a law, a religion, a way of life, a code of
worship, a way of prayer, a message, and a faith that was (and remains) unique.
The law this unlettered man brought is matchless in that it has administered,
both justly and precisely, one-fifth of humanity for fourteen centuries. The
daily practices of Islam, which originated in the Qur’an and his own sayings,
precepts, and example, have served for centuries as a peerless guide and
authority for billions of people. They have trained and refined their minds and
souls, illumined and purified their hearts, and perfected their spirits.
What follows is the tribute
of Lamartine, the French historian to the person of the Holy Prophet of Islam:
Never did a man set himself,
voluntarily or involuntarily, a more sublime aim, since this aim was
superhuman: to subvert superstitions which had been interposed between man and
his Creator, to render God unto man and man unto God; to restore the rational
and sacred idea of divinity amidst the chaos of the material and disfigured
gods of idolatry then existing. Never has a man undertaken a work so far beyond
human power with so feeble means, for he had in the conception as well as in
the execution of such a great design no other instrument than himself, and no
other aid, except a handful of men living in a corner of the desert.
Finally, never
has a man accomplished such a huge and lasting revolution in the world, because less than two centuries after its appearance, Islam, in faith and arms,
reigned over the whole of Arabia, and conquered in Allahﷻ’s name Persia, Khorasan,
Western India, Syria, Abyssinia, all the known continent of Northern Africa,
numerous islands of the Mediterranean, Spain, and a part of Gaul.
If greatness of purpose, the smallness of means, and astounding results are the three criteria of human
genius, who could dare to compare any great men to Muhammad? The most famous
men created arms, laws, and empires only. They found, if anything at all, no
more than material powers that often crumbled away before their eyes. This man
moved not only armies, legislation, empires, peoples, and dynasties, but
millions of men [and women] in one-third of the then-inhabited world; and more
than that, he moved the altars, the gods, the religions, the ideas, the beliefs, and the souls.
On the basis of a Book, every letter of which has become law, he
created a spiritual nationality that has blended together peoples of every
tongue and of every race. He has left to us as the indelible characteristic of
this Muslim nationality, the hatred of false gods and the passion for the One and
immaterial Allahﷻ. This avenging patriotism against the profanation of Heaven
formed the virtue of the followers of Rasulullahﷺ: the conquest of one-third of
the earth to his creed was his miracle.
The idea of the unity of God proclaimed
amidst the exhaustion of fabulous theogonies, was in itself such a miracle that
upon its utterance from his lips it destroyed all the ancient temples of idols
and set on fire one-third of the world. His life, his meditations, his heroic
revilings against the superstitions of his country, his boldness in defying
the furies of idolatry; his firmness in enduring them for thirteen years at
Makkah, his acceptance of the role of public scorn and almost of being a victim
of his fellow-countrymen: all these and, finally his incessant preaching, his
wars against odds, his faith in his success and his superhuman security in
misfortune, his forbearance in victory, his ambition which was entirely devoted
to one idea and in no manner striving for an empire; his endless prayer, his
mystic conversations with Allahﷻ, his death and his triumph after death; all these
attest not to imposture but to a firm conviction.
It was his conviction
that gave him the power to restore a creed. This creed was two-fold, the unity
of God and the immateriality of God; the former telling what God is; the latter
telling what God is not. Philosopher, orator, apostle, legislator, warrior,
conqueror of ideas, restorer of rational dogmas, of a cult without images; the
founder of twenty terrestrial states and of one spiritual state, Prophethood
and Prophet Muhammad that is Rasulullahﷺ. As regards all standards by which
human greatness may be measured, we may well ask: Is there any man greater than
he?
A leader must know his
people thoroughly to educate them and lead them to realize a great cause.
Alexis Carrel, a great twentieth-century French scientist, and philosopher,
still describes human beings as unknown, as the most complex and intricate of
creatures.
However, Rasulullahﷺ, had
such a comprehensive knowledge of his people that he could educate them in such
a way that they transformed themselves willingly to realize his cause. Knowing
how to act in every situation, his decisions never had to be changed or his
appointments to office rescinded. He succeeded in bringing the most refined,
well-mannered, and civilized society out of extremely backward, uncivilized,
and rough people.
Not only did he eradicate
his people’s savage customs and immoral qualities to which they were addicted,
he also equipped and adorned these same desperate, wild, and unyielding peoples
with all praiseworthy virtues and made them the teachers and masters of the
world, including civilized nations. His domination was not outward; rather, he
was the beloved of hearts, the teacher of minds, the trainer of souls, and the
ruler of spirits.
Despite all the advanced
techniques and methods, modern communities cannot remove permanently any form of social ailments. However, Rasulullahﷺ quickly removed many ingrained bad habits with little effort and replaced them
with good habits in such a way that they became inherent in his people’s very
being. If people do not believe this, let them go to any part of the modern
civilized world with hundreds of philosophers, sociologists, psychologists,
pedagogues, and educators and see if they can achieve in one hundred years even
one-hundredth of what Rasulullahﷺ,
achieved in a year in the uncivilized Arabia of fourteen centuries ago.
The Rasulullahﷺ met all of his
detractors with a smile. When the Qurayshi leaders told Abu Talib to make his
nephew abandon his mission, Rasulullahﷺ answered:
"O! uncle! Should they place
the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left, so as to make me renounce
this mission, I shall not do so. I will never give it up; either it will please Allahﷻ to make it triumph or I will perish in the attempt.
On another occasion, a
deputation of the Qurayshi elite offered him all the worldly glory they could
imagine if he would abandon his mission:
If you want wealth, we will
amass for you as much as you wish; if you aspire to win honor and power, we are
prepared to swear allegiance to you as our overlord and king; if you have a
fancy for beauty, you shall have the hand of the most beautiful maiden of your
own choice.
The terms would be extremely
tempting for anyone, but they had no significance in the eyes of Rasulullahﷺ.
He responded:
"I want neither wealth nor
power. Allahﷻ has commissioned me as a warner to humanity. I deliver His Message
to you. Should you accept it, you shall have felicity in this life and eternal
bliss in the life Hereafter. Should you reject the Word of Allahﷻ, surely Allahﷻ will
decide between you and me."
The faith, perseverance, and
resolution with which he carried his mission to ultimate success prove the
supreme truth of his cause. Had there been the slightest doubt or uncertainty
in his heart, he could not have withstood the opposition that continued for
twenty-one long years.
Rasulullahﷺ was the foremost practitioner of all forms of Islamic
worship and the most God-conscious believer. He perfectly observed all details
of worship, even when in danger. He never imitated anyone, and excellently
combined the beginning and end of spiritual perfection. He is unparalleled in
prayer and knowledge of Allahﷻ. In his supplications and prayers, he describes his
Lord with such a degree of Divine knowledge that no believer has ever attained
a similar degree of knowledge and description of Allahﷻ.
His faith was so
extraordinarily strong, certain, miraculous, elevated, and enlightened that no
contemporary prevalent (and opposed) idea, belief, philosophy, or teaching ever
caused him to doubt or hesitate. Moreover, all intellectually and spiritually
elevated people of all times, primarily his Companions, benefited from his
faith, which they admit to being of the highest degree. This fact proves that his
faith is matchless.
In spite of his
unparalleled greatness and achievements, Rasulullahﷺ, upon him be peace and
blessings, behaved as an ordinary man with all people, and lived as the poorest
of his community. All of his resources were used to spread Islam. He sought no
reward or profit to compensate him for his life-long struggles and endeavors,
and left no property for his heirs, for he lived to serve all humanity. He did
not ask that anything be set aside for him or his descendants and forbade his
progeny from receiving zakah so that neither he nor his family or progeny
should benefit from his mission materially.
No one in human history
has ever been loved as much as Rasulullahﷺ,
has been loved by his Companions and Community. What follows is only one
example to show how deeply he is loved:
A group from the Adal and
al-Qarah tribes, who were apparently from the same ancestral stock as the
Quraysh and who lived near Makkah, came to Rasulullahﷺ during the third year of
the Islamic era and said: “Some of us have chosen Islam, so send a group of
Muslims to instruct us what Islam means, teach us the Qur’an, and inform us of
Islam’s principles and laws.”
The Messenger selected six
Companions to go with them. Upon reaching the Hudhayl tribe’s land, the group
halted and the Companions settled down to rest. Suddenly, a group of Hudhayli
tribesmen fell upon them like a thunderbolt with 186 An Introduction to Islamic
Faith and Thought their swords drawn. Clearly, the mission either had been a
ruse from the beginning or its members had changed their minds en route. At any
rate, they sided with the attackers and sought to seize the six Muslims. As
soon as the Companions were aware of what was happening, they grabbed their
weapons and got ready to defend themselves. Three were martyred, and the rest
were tied up and taken to Makkah, where they were to be delivered to the
Quraysh.
Near Makkah, ‘Abdullah ibn
Tariq managed to free his hand and reach for his sword. However, his captors
saw what he was doing and stoned him to death. Zayd ibn al-Dathina and Hubayb
ibn Adiy were carried to Makkah, where they were exchanged for two Hudhayli
captives. Safwan ibn Umayya al-Qurayshi bought Zayd from the person to whom he
had been sold so that he could avenge the blood of his father, who had been
killed during the Battle of Badr. He took him outside Makkah to kill him, and
the Quraysh assembled to see what would happen.
Zayd came forward with a
courageous gait and did not even tremble. Abu Sufyan, a spectator who wanted to
use this chance to extract a statement of contrition and remorse or an avowal
of hatred of Rasulullahﷺ, stepped forward and said: “I adjure you by God, Zayd,
don’t you wish that Muhammad was with us now in your place so that we might cut
off his head, and that you were with your family?” “By Allahﷻ,” said Zayd, “let
alone wishing that I do not wish that even a thorn should hurt his foot.” Abu
Sufyan, astonished, turned to those present and said: “By God, I swear I have
never seen a man so loved by his followers as Muhammad.”
After a while, Hubayb was
taken outside Makkah for execution. Requesting the assembled people to let him
perform two raka'at of prayer, to which they agreed, he did so in all humility,
respect, and absorption. Then he spoke to them: “I swear by Allahﷻ that if I did
not think that you might think that I was trying to delay my death out of fear,
I would have prolonged my prayer.”
After condemning Hubayb to
crucifixion, his sweet voice was heard, with a perfect spirituality that held
everyone in its spell, entreating Allahﷻ with these words: “O Allahﷻ! We have
delivered the message of Your Messenger, so inform him of what has been done to
us, and tell him my wish of peace and blessings upon him.” Meanwhile, God’s
Messenger was returning his peace, saying: “Upon you be Allahﷻ’s peace and
blessings, O Hubayb!”
The following account
shows the indelible mark that God’s Messenger ( Rasulullahﷺ ) has imprinted on people of every
age:
One of Ibn Sina’s students
told Ibn Sina that his extraordinary understanding and intelligence would cause
people to gather around him if he claimed prophethood. Ibn Sina said nothing.
When they were traveling together during winter, Ibn Sina woke up one morning
at dawn, woke his student, and asked him to fetch some water because he was
thirsty. The student procrastinated and made excuses. However much Ibn Sina
persisted, the student would not leave his warm bed. At that moment, the cry of
the muezzin (caller to prayer) called out from the minaret: “God is the
greatest. I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of God.”
Ibn Sina considered this a
good opportunity to answer his student, so he said:
You, who averred that people
would believe in me if I claimed to be a prophet, look now and see how the
command I just gave you who have been my student for years and have benefited
from my lessons, has not had the effect of making you leave your warm bed to
fetch me some water. But this muezzin strictly obeys the 400-year-old command
of Rasulullahﷺ. He got up from his warm bed, as he does every morning together
with hundreds of thousands of others, climbed up to this great height, and bore
witness to God’s Unity and His Prophet. Look and see how great the difference
is!”21
(Muhammad) Rasulullahﷺ name has been
pronounced five times a day together with that of God for 1,400 years all over
the world.22
